Moisture and dust separator for air pressure lines



Dec. 30, 1958 c. HAZLETT ETAL 2,865,519

MOISTURE AND DUST SEPARATOR FOR AIR PRESSURE LINES Filed April 22. 1957 2 SheetsSheet 1 ,jnvamors @wma qmzmrqf amud gw gm Maw w w Dec. 30, 1958 c. HAZLETT ET AL MOISTURE AND DUST SEPARATOR FOR AIR PRESSURE LINES Filed April :22. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 with; Q WQJQQL United States Patent MOISTURE AND DUST SEPARATOR FOR AIR PRESSURE LINES Clifford Hazlett and Gerald Engman, Des Moiues, Iowa, asslgnors to Engmau Manufacturing Company, Des Moines, Iowa Application April 22, 1957, Serial No. 654,352

8 Claims. (Cl. 183-68) This invention relates to a device for separating water from air pressure lines and more particularly to a separator that will automatically compensate for variations in pressure lines and/or the sizes of exit orifices at point of use.

Compressed air as a source of power has many uses today such as operating spark plug cleaners, paint spray guns, powered hand tools, grease guns and the like and in these uses it is highly essential that the air at the point of use be free of moisture, grit, sludge, rust or the like. It is well known that moisture will condense out of compressed air and the amount of condensation will vary in proportion to the distance the air must travel to the point of use, changes of temperature along the air line and other causes. Consequently, if moisture is permitted to be discharged with the air at the point of use, serious damage and inefficient results can and will frequently occur.

The use of water removal means in air pressure conduits is not new. An example of such means is found in Churchman Patent Number 2,63 6,571, issued April 28, 1953, on a combination filter and trap. While the Churchman device worked quite successfully with a given air pressure, a given line capacity, and a given orifice size, it was not successful when such factors varied. Furthermore, a new requirement for dust and moisture separators has only recently been indicated. Many if not all automobiles will in the near future dispense with metallic spring suspensions and adapt air suspension means. Obviously, a compact separator will be needed not only to remove dirt and Water from the air but also to compensate for varying air volume requirements. The reason for this is that if a vehicle has to have an air compressor for the air suspension system, compressed air will also be used as the motive power to do many things now accomplished by electricity and vacuum lines from the engine. This means that a large volume of air must be instantly available and the necessary small passageways of the Churchman device do not sufiice.

Therefore, the principal object of our invention is to provide a small compact dirt and moisture separator for air lines that has great capacity during a given time interval.

A further object of our invention is to provide a moisture' separator for air pressure conduits that will automatically compensate and adjust for varying conditions of the line, the pressure and the size of the orifice at point of use.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combination water separator and filter through which air under pressure flows from a source of supply to a point of use and wherein any moisture, sludge, grit, rust or the like is filtered from the compressed air and automat-ically discharged from the air flow line at times.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a combination filter and trap through which air under pressure flows in passing to a point of use wherein any motsture, inthe compressed air is filtered from the compressed air and collected in a trap with said trap opened automatically by the differential of pressure existing between the inlet and outlet of the combination filter and trap when compressed air is withdrawn from the pipe line at the point of use.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a combination water separator and filter through which air under pressure flows from a source of supply to a point of use and wherein any moisture, sludge or the like is filtered from the compressed air and collected in a trap from which point it is automatically discharged and which separator and filter is designed to permit a bleeding or slight leakage of the moisture from the trap to a collecting chamber during any prolonged operation of the-device at the point of use and from which chamber it will not only drain by gravity during such prolonged operation but will be discharged by air pressure when the device at the point of use is started or stopped.

Still further objects of this invention are to provide a combination water separator and filter for drying and filtering compressed air in an air pressure line and automatically discharging the moisture therefrom which is economical in manufacture, simple in construction, easily and quickly installed, efiicient in operation, easy and economical to repair,-and designed for long usage.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in our claims, I Q

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. l is a perspective view of our device installed in an air pressure line,

Fig. -2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of our moisture and dust separator and more fully illustrates its construction,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the device taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of our separator showing the position of elements when no air is exiting from the device, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged bottom view of the device with sec tions cut away to more fully illustrate its construction and is taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, we have used the numeral 7 10 to designate a housing provided with the chamber 11 and a chamber portion 12 below chamber 11. The numeral 14 designates a centrally located opening provided in the bottom of the housing 10.

One side of the upper portion of the housing 10 is provided with the inlet 15 that is designed to communicate with a hose or pipe 16 conducting air under pressure from a source of supply. The other side of the housing 10, 'f

at a point substantially diametrically opposite to the inlet 15, is provided with the outlet 17 that is designed to communicate at one end with a hose or pipe or the like 18 conducting compressed air to a point of use. While the housing may be of any suitable shape, we show a detachable bottom portion 19 and which forms the bottom and sides of the chamber 12. This part 19 is secured by bolts or like. The chamber 11 and chamber 12 are separated by a horizontal tray plate 20 which extends into a bore 21 in the main housing. This bore 21 has a diameter greater than that of the compartment 12 but less than. that of the diameter of the upper inside portion of the housing, as shown in Fig. 2. The numeral 27 designates a vertical hole through the center of the member 2]]. A

scaling gasket 13 is placed between the detachable bottom and the member 20. The numeral 51 designates a flex- I -ible resilient diaphragm between the top of the bore 21 2,866,519, Patented Dec. 30, 1958 and the top of the member 20, as shown in Fig. 4. This diaphragm creates a third chamber compartment designated by the numeral 25 and. which is above the chamber compartmentll. The...compar.tment.25 is incom munication with the,outlet .17.. Thenumeralm411 designates a valve stem having a valve head-44 on its lower ends This member 44 has a conical. shaped valve. top

portion-45 and a resilient valve head portion 46 ontits bottom. This valve stem 41 is.secured at its top to the bottom. center of the diaphragm 51, and extends downwardly through the hole 27. When thevalve is in lowered position its resilient head portion 46 is closing the opening 14 and when intelevated position the conical shaped valve portiont45 engages andtcloses the opening 272 The numeral47 designates vthe screen filter or fourth chamber compartment, The detachable part .19. forms the. bottom of this chamber-47. The airinlet '15 communicates with this chamber, 47. The numeral 48 designates a wall between the compartment 47 and the corn-.

partments 11 and 25.. Thenumeral 49 designates passageways through the wall 48.and part 20 connecting the bottom ,of. the compartment. 47 and thebottomofthe compartment 11. The numeral 52.designates aplurality ofspaced apart vertical filter plate screens in the compartmeat, 47. In the bottom edge. area of each. of these screens are .cut away passageways 53 and all of which.

55. The numeral 58 designatessa large passagewayinthe wall 48 having one end communicating with the compartment 47 and itsother end communicating vwith'the bottom of the valve well 54.. The numeral 59 designates a large passageway in the wall 48 having one end communicating .withone side of the valve well 54 and its other end communicating with the compartment 25..

The practical operation of the device is as follows: It is first arranged in an air pressure line so that. the inlet is in communication wtih a source of air under pressure that is conducted through the hose, pipe or the like l6-and the outlet 17 is in communication with a hose, pipe or the like 18 that conducts the compressed airto a point of use, such as automotive vehicle. members, a paint spray gun, poweredthand tOO1S,OI'.th6 like- Thus, the

compressed air will pass throughour separator and filter before it reaches ,the point of use. Preferably, this de vice should. be placed inthe air line as close as possible tothe point of use so that the air after leaving theseparator will have no great distance .to flow before being used and thereby reducingzthe apossibility of additional moisture forming in the. air 'line between the separator and point of use..

The position of the valve seat 46 in the chamber 12 when no air is flowing is illustrated in Fig. 2. The reason passageways 58 and 49. The path of the air flow through the filter elements just described will cause the moisture, dust, sludge, grit, dirt, rust, or thelike, to be separated and filtered therefrom and to collect onthe. inside of .the bottomofthe filter housing 47. From .thiscompartment the-unwanted. water..and,like foreign matter will. pass through the .cut outs. 53. of. the screens, thence through the passageways-wand into the chamber 12, as. shown in Figs}.

When air is released at'the point of use the position of the valveseat'46 is illustrated in Fig. 4. As (this air is released 'through the outlet 17 the pressure above the diaphragm 51 inthe chamb erZS. becomes less than...the.

pressure below the diaphragm, thereby raising the diaphragm and causing the valve assembly to travel to its upwardly position. As this occurs, the conical portion 45 on the valve head 44 will seat in the underside of the opening 27 in the member201 This will move the valve seat 46 off of the opening 14 and will expose the chamber 12 to the atmosphere;'. When this. occursthere will be a distinct snap or sharp report due to a momentary rush of air fromnthe chamber 12 to the outside atmosphere because while thevalve assembly is in its upwardly position the chamber 11 will be substantially sealed oflf from the chamber 12 by the seating of the conical portion 45 in the opening 27 so that the pressure in the chamber 12 will be reduced tosubstantially that of the atmosphere. In this initial rush of air from the chamber 12, moisture that has collected therein will be blown out through the opening 14. If'desired a pipe may'extend fromwthe outlet 14 toa remote disposal point.

The valve assembly will remain .in its upwardly position as longas air is released at the point of use, The

reason for this is that the air is continually entering the unit has described and passing out through the outlet 17,

and .during this time the pressure above the diaphragm 51 will be sufiiciently lessthanthat below it to hold. the valve assembly in an up position.

When the release of air at the point of use is stopped, a

momentarily highpressure, due to inertia, will be built.

up in the chamber 25. This" pressure being above the diaphragm and considerably greater than the pressure below, it will blast the avalve assembly downwardly toits.

lower position. As this occurs and during the time interval that it takes thevalve seat 46 to be seated in. the

opening14 the moisture, dust, dirt or thelike collected on the bottom will be blown through the opening 14. The distance of travel of'thevalve seat 46 is short but the concentrated presusre built up when the air flow is stopped issufficient to produce the discharge just described.

Inorder to obtain a satisfactory discharge of moisture or-the.like when the air flow is stopped, as just described. it is essential that this device be positioned.

withina very few-feet from tthe point of use. The reason for this is to insure the'proper pressure in chain ber:25 due. toinertia when the flow of air at the point ofuse is stopped; If the point of use is too far. from. this device, pressure in the'fiow line will build up slowly whenxtheairfflow is-stopped,..and instead ofthe valve seat 46-being blown downwardly it .will merely slowly flutter. to :its closed position. However, this Willi not impair the operation of my invention because when the air tflow is .again;.started, any moisture collectedin this device willube. blown .out as previously described. But sincezthis. device is .capable .of discharging moisture both" at.thelstopping.and.starting of theifiow air, it is prefer:

ablyzlocated nearrthe point ofuse to obtain the full ad vantages of which it is capable. of this separator and filter close to the point of use servesthe additional useful purpose, previously 'de-' peated. After a prolonged operation, or for any other' reason, if it is believed that all of the moisture has not been discharged, it is merely necessary to start and stop the flow of air' one or more times and this will discharge any moisture or the like that might still be inside 'the device.

As 'above indieatedour unit is compact but must ac commodate considerable -air 'volume.'- Th'erefo're,-*- the passageways 349, 58- and' 59 are Irelatively large passage ways." Therefore the unit' would notmormallv-work we" ac with such large passageways without control;

Likewise, the 'locationi complish this by a check valve located between the passageways 58 and 59. Because this is a one way valve, air will freely pass through the passageway 58 and thence through the passageway 59. However, if at the point of use the air is quickly shut off, any back pressure back through the passageways 59 and 58 will be closed by check valve head 56. This check valve makes possible the employment of the large passageways 49, 58 and 59;

By the upper part of the member being in the form of a dished wall plate, the water will run to the center and through the hole 27. The compartment having the spaced apart filter screens is in a plane completely above the compartment 12.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of our moisture and dust separator for air pressure lines without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

We claim:

1. In a separator for removing moisture and foreign matter from air lines, a housing having an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening and a discharge opening, a wall plate in said housing creating a lower and upper compartment in said housing and having a hole connecting the upper compartment with said lower compartment, a flexible resilient diaphragm in the upper compartment of said housing creating a third compartment and positioned above said upper compartment; said third compartment communicating with the outlet opening of said housing, a valve stem secured to said diaphragm extending downwardly through said upper compartment, loosely through the hole in said Wall plate and into said lower compartment; said lower compartment communicating with said discharge opening, a head on said valve stem capable of closing said discharge opening when in lowered position and capable of closing the hole in said wall plate when in elevated position, a wall portion in said housing creating a fourth compartment; said fourth compartment communicating with said air inlet opening, a passageway in said wall portion connecting the bottom area of said upper compartment with the bottom area of said fourth compartment, a passageway in said wall portion connecting the upper area of said third compartment with the upper area of said fourth compartment, a one way check valve in said last mentioned passageway, and a filter screen in said fourth compartment.

2. In a separator for removing moisture and foreign matter from air lines, a housing having an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening and a discharge opening, a wall plate in said housing creating a lower and upper compartment in said housing and having a hole connecting the upper compartment with said lower compartment, a flexible resilient diaphragm in the upper compartment of said housing creating a third compartment and positioned above said upper compartment; said third compartment communicating with the outlet opening of said housing, a valve stem secured to said diaphragm extending downwardly through said upper compartment, loosely through the hole in said wall plate and into said lower compartment; said lower compartment communicating with said discharge opening, a head on said valve stem capable of closing said discharge opening When in lowered position and capable of closing the hole in said wall plate when in elevated position, a wall portion in said housing creating a fourth compartment; said fourth compartment communicating with said air inlet opening, an enlarged passageway in said wall portion connecting said upper compartment with said fourth compartment, an enlarged passageway in said wall portion connecting said third compartment with said fourth compartment, a one way check valve in said last menpartment.

3. In a separator for removing moisture and foreign matter from air lines, a housing having an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening and a discharge opening, a wall plate in said housing creating a lower and upper compartment in said housing and having a hole connecting the upper compartment with said lower compartment, a flexible resilient diaphragm in the upper compartment of said housing creating a third compartment and positioned above said upper compartment; said third compartment communicating with the outlet opening of said housing, a valve stem secured to said diaphragm extending downwardly through said upper compartment, loosely through the hole in said wall plate and into said lower compartment; said lower compartment communicating with said discharge opening, a head on said valve stem capable of closing said discharge opening when in lowered position and capable of closing the hole in said wall plate when in elevated position, a wall portion in said housing creating a fourth compartment; said fourth compartment communicating with said air inlet opening, a passageway in said wall portion connecting said upper compartment with said fourth compartment, a passageway in said wall portion connecting said third compartment with said fourth compartment, an adjustable one way check valve in said last mentioned passageway, and a filter screen in said fourth compartment.

4. In a separator for removing moisture and foreign matter from air lines, a housing having an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening and a discharge opening, a wall plate in said housing creating a lower and upper compartment in said housing and having a hole connecting the upper compartment with said lower compartment,

a flexible resilient diaphragm in the upper compartment of said housing creating a third compartment and positioned above said upper compartment; said third compartment communicating with the outlet opening of said housing, a valve stem secured to said diaphragm extending downwardly through said upper compartment, loosely through the hole in said wall plate and into said lower compartment; said lower compartment communicating with said discharge opening, a head on said valve stem capable of closing said discharge opening when in lowered position and capable of closing the hole in said wall plate when in elevated position, a wall portion in said housing creating a fourth compartment; said fourth compartment communicating with said air inlet opening,

a' passageway in said wall portion connecting said upper compartment with said fourth compartment, a passageway in said wall portion connecting said third compartment with said fourth compartment, a one way check valve in said last mentioned passageway, and a plurality of flat spaced apart filter screens in said fourth compartment.

5. In a separator for removing moisture and foreign matter from air lines, a housing having an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening and a discharge opening, a wall plate in said housing creating a lower and upper compartment in said housing and having a hole connect-Q ing the upper compartment with said lower compartment, a flexible resilient diaphragm in the upper compartment of said housing creating a third compartment and positioned above said upper compartment; said third compartment communicating with the outlet opening of said housing, a valve stem secured to said diaphragm extending downwardly through said upper compartment, loosely through the hole in said wall plate and into said lower compartment; said lower compartment communicating with said discharge opening, a head on said valve stem capable of closing said discharge opening when in lowered position and capable of closing the hole in said wall plate when in elevated position, a wall portion in said housing creating a fourth compartment; said fourth com- 7 r partment communicating with said air inlet opening,.,a passageway in said wallcportion connectingthe bottom area of said upper compartment with the bottom-area of said fourth compartmengaa passageway in said wall portion connecting the upper areaof said third compartment with the upper area of said fourth rcompartment, a one way check valve in said last mentioned passageway, a pluralityof fiat spaced apart filter screens in said fourth compartment, and a cut away. passageway in the lower portion of each of saidscreens.

6. In a separatorfor removing moisture and foreign matter from air lines, a housing havingan air inlet opening, an air outlet opening and a discharge opening,.a Wall plate in said housing creatinga lower and upper compartment in said housing and having a hole connecting the upper compartment with said lower compartment, a flexible resilient, diaphragm in the. upper compartment of said housing creating a third compartment and positioned above said upper compartment; said third compartment communicating with the outlet opening. of i saidhousing, a valve stem secured to said diaphragm extending down wardly through said upper compartment, looselythrough the hole in said wall plate and into said-lower compartment; said lower compartment communicating with said dischage opening, a head on said valve stem capable of closing, said discharge opening when inlowered position and capable of closing the hole in said wall plate when in elevated position, a wall portion in said housing, creating a fourth compartment; said fourth compartment being in a plane totally above the horizontal plane of said lower compartment, said fourth compartment communicating with said air inlet opening,-a passageway in said, wall portion connecting said upper compartment with said fourth compartment, a passageway in said wall 1 portion connecting said third compartment with said fourth compartment, a one way check valve-in saidlast mentioned passageway, and a filter screen in said fourth compartment.

7. In a separator for removing moisture=and foreign matter from, air lines, ,a housing having air inlet opening,,,an air outlet opening and a discharge opening, a wallplate in said housing creating a lower and. upper compartment in said housing and having a hole connecting theupper compartment with said lower compartment, a flexible resilient diaphragm in the upper compartment of said housing creating a third compartment and positioned above said upper compartment; said thirdcompartrnent communicating with the outlet opening of said housing, a valve means secured to said diaphragm extending downwardly through the hole in said wall plateand capable ofclosing said discharge opening when in lowered position and capable of closing the hole in said wall plate when in an elevatedposition, a wall portion in said housing creating a fourth compartment; said fourth compartment communicating with said air inlet opening, a passageway in said wall portion connecting the bottom area of said upper compartment with the bottom area of said fourth compartment, a passageway in said wall portion connecting the upper area of said third compartment with upper area of said fourth compartment, a one way check valve in said last mentioned passageway, and a filter screen in said fourth compartment.

8. In a separator for removing moisture and foreign matter from air lines, a housing having an air inlet opening, an air outlet opening and a discharge opening, a wall plate in said housing creating a lower and upper compartment in said housing and having a hole connecting the upper compartment with said lowercompartment, a flexible resilient diaphragm in the upper compartment of said housing'creating a third compartment and positioned above said upper compartment; said third compartment communicating with the outlet opening of said housing, a valve stem secured to said diaphragm extending downwardly through said upper compartment, loosely through the hole in. said wall plate and into said lower compartment; said lower compartment communicating with said discharge opening, a head on said valve stem capable of closing said discharge opening when in lowered position and capable of closing the hole in said wall plate when in elevated position, a wall portion in said housing creating a fourth compartment; saidfourth compartment communicating with said air inlet opening, a passageway in said wall portion connecting the bottom area of saidv upper compartment with the bottom area of said fourth compartment, a passageway in said wall portion connecting the upper area of said third compartment with the upper area of said fourth compartment, a valve means in said last mentioned passageway, and a filter screen in said fourth compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,182,039 Hert May 9,1916 1,847,068 Campbell Mar. 1, 1932 1,922,379 Longfellow Aug. 15, 1933 2,636,571 Churchman Apr. 28, 1953 2,669,320 Shaw Feb. 16, 1954 

